Reviews :
Lyssdoodle : hahaha actually, no! Gideon is a meticulously planned baby, unlike the majority of any other baby born into this saga. Said heavy planning is further detriment to his character development, later on. Ralph and Vanellope's getaway is heavily enforced with firewalls and skillfully does NOT include Gideon xD
Burgie : Tooo true! It's way overdue, for sure.
*Chapter 3*
"Alright, your majesty, I've acquired your goods," Vanellope stated in a pompous tone as she sauntered out onto Taffyta's and Rancis's gorgeous, sunny balcony.
"User, finally, I thought you died, or something," Taffyta grunted as she sat up, her and Penny were cutely cuddled on one of Taffyta's big, billowy outdoor couches.
"That's not funny," Penny muttered as she cutely shot her aunt a bewildered look, to which Vanellope rolled her eyes and shrugged.
"I'm used to it," Vanellope grunted, though as Rancis and Wren eased out onto the balcony, as well, they both plopped down near Taffyta and Penny; yet another adorable little family unit that had Vanellope's pupils shrinking, as if she needed to escape, and due to this, she didn't join the group on the couch.
"Ohh, great," Boss grunted quietly. Taffyta's and Rancis's section of said racer's wing, and balcony, had a perfect view of the palace's grassy lot, just near Ralph's and Vanellope's gorgeous, sprawling cross-striped tree.
Just as Boss had laid down to get comfortable in the sun, Chester and Royal could be seen puppy-dogging after Orion's much bigger figure. Although Orion was a fairly large nerd-chameleon previously progammed for Sweet Streets, he fit right into Sugar Rush. With his hot orange pelt all gorgeously speckled with cerulean blue scales along his spine, both of his kin tailed him in bouncing delight, Chester looking nearly like a miniature version of Orion. Though Orion was thrilled to be back, and everyone on the lot could easily agree, it was clear Orion had somewhat slipped back into his cranky, loner ways. He looked almost irritated to have two excitable, bumbling boys chasing after the huge curl of his tail. With his powerful stride crossed the grass, it was clear he was potentially headed to Tessa's and Zed's tower, and though the look on his face was that of mild disgruntlement, it as obvious he at least somewhat enjoyed spending time with his son and grandson. Boss allowed his ears to sag, he lulled his eyes closed and finally grunted to get to his feet.
"What, we hating on Orion again?" Taffyta mumbled, and as Vanellope cued her inventory, she pulled out the candy she had acquired and set the big bag before Taffyta, on their larger outdoor coffee table. Taffyta lit up and began digging through the bag, she wore comfortable clothes due to the fact that her and Rancis likely would need to hull away in the code room at any hour now, due to giving life to their new addition.
"Again?" Boss inquired cutely, as if to be on board with Taffyta's notions, though he required back-story.
"Yeah, we all used to avoid him like the plague," Taffyta chuckled, she pulled out the correct candy she ordered and beamed Vanellope an innocent, girly little smile, "Thank youuuu."
"You're welcome," Vanellope muttered in playful irritation.
"Pretty sure he's still scared of me," Penny giggled with a shrug, to which Rancis and Wren firmly lofted their gazes to the two women in their family, of which the palace lot respectfully feared anyhow.
"My love, everyone is scared of you," Rancis stated with a fatherly tone of cute politeness; Taffyta erupted with laughter, and though Penny silently stared her father down, her and Taffyta cutely high-fived.
"Mission accomplished," Penny hissed quietly.
"C'mon, Boss, you met him last week, he's NOT interested in Lickity, is that what you're worried about?" Wren wondered, he gestured his hand out to the lovely grass far beyond them, and though Orion previously looked uninterested, he finally slowed his roll and allowed Chester's and Royal's bouncy footwork to catch up. Nearly a fourth of a mile off, Orion's booming bass of vocal chords could still be felt and barely heard, he kindly began to chit chat with Chester and Royal.
"No, I'm not worried about him and Lickity being a thing," Boss mumbled in tired irritation as he grunted to a proper stand, to look as if he was due to sauntering back inside, strictly so he didn't have to see the group of other dragons out before him, "I guess... I don't have any pups of my own, I sort of... Took Royal and Chester under my wing, and..."
"The 'let's bug Orion forever' phase will wear off, trust me," Taffyta stated with a small laugh, though she peered to Boss with a dollop of sweetness, "If you're so worried about Orion stealing your thunder, then, hell with it. Go fly over to them, right now, and include yourself."
"Those boys love you," Rancis assured with a nod, to which Wren grinned and crossed his arms.
"Yeah, Boss, Chester mentions you quite a bit, y'know," Wren assured, and though Boss still looked disgruntled, he curiously peered out to the group from afar, as if to contemplate his next move. Wren glanced to his mother and beamed, "My mom's right. I say, go over there, gain Royal's and Chester's attention."
"Show Orion who's Boss," Penny stated with a cute little smirk, in which everyone sweetly erupted in happy laughter; Boss inhaled a shaky, readied breath and bobbed a nod.
"You're right," Boss mumbled, and though he looked as if he was due to be dreading this excursion, he loosened his wings a little and looked ready to loft off of Taffyta's and Rancis's balcony, "Thanks, guys... Wish me luck."
"You won't need it," Wren called as he cupped his hands about his mouth, and though Boss glided away in apprehension, his gorgeous, unfurled blue wings caught with the wind and reminded everyone the little secret pops of beautiful color he sport, a dominant trait in males of his and Lickity's breed.
"Welp... I think I'm gunna head off, as well," Vanellope stated with gentle regret, though as her sad eyes trailed the cute scene on the couch, once more, her heart finally sagged into the depths of said lonely pit, now nearly to a point of no return. Although she was thrilled everyone on palace grounds was getting on great, adding babies, husbands, wives and swapmates to their familial units, Vanellope felt left over. In a crave to have all of that, once more, she knew jumping into her own little project, right at the source of her pain, was likely the best way to knock this out. She gestured her hand a little and heaved a shaky sigh, "I, uh... I got Boss a few candies, in the bag, as well, so if he makes his way back, make sure he gets his spoils."
"Before mom eats them all," Penny giggled, all four beings erupted in laughter, though Taffyta rolled her eyes and tried not to look as if she was enjoying herself.
"You'll do great, Van," Rancis kindly called as Vanellope began to step away, and though she gave Rancis and Wren a sweet smile of apologetic knowing, once she had turned heel and pressed to Rancis's and Taffyta's front door, her face sloped to pure, nervous dread.
With a huge, gorgeous wingspan, Boss gently glided along the smaller rolling hills of the palace lot, and as he neared Chester, Royal and Orion, he was thrilled all three beasts noticed him. With a gentle gallop of a landing, Boss inhaled a deep breath and stood proud upon arrival. Although Royal was a tiny bit bigger than Boss, all three males now were dwarfed by Orion's huge presence. Nearly twice Royal's size in length, and half his height, Orion's sharp, chameleon eyes tightly hooked to Boss, upon his landing, and strangely looked relieved. Boss held his ears high on his head, and though this was typically something all three males did to show dominance, Boss tried to get away with it in Orion's presence. Although they all had gotten along, as best as Orion's cranky being could afford, Boss still felt the need to prove that he was still the pack's elder, an earned title and not something he was willing to hand to Orion.
"Papa!" Chester chimed in boyish excitement; the youngest male of the group, his puppy-dog demeanor was almost always carefree. With a bounce, he cutely approached Boss and nuzzled his face into the side of Boss's jaw. Boss cutely sagged his wing over Chester's back, in a greeting to his step-grandson, though Orion huffed a chuckle and eyed Royal.
"Good, someone of intelligence is here, you guys surely have places to fly to," Orion's deep voice grumbled, though he still held a cute smile; Royal happily greet Boss as well, though in a more mature manner, being the alpha of their pack.
"I was just comin' to say hi," Boss eased, he flattened his ears as Royal approached, both boys cutely nuzzled snouts, "Whatcha guys doin'?"
"Well... I have actual shit to get done, as opposed to these posers," Orion grunted, and though he began to press in the direction he was desperate to lay off to, his bigger, agile body suddenly wretched in a whirl around as Royal playfully nipped at Orion's hind heels. Orion snapped his fangs and stared Royal down as Royal sprawled his wings wide and gave his father a beaming, smiling show of pure playfulness. Orion concluded his notion through a throaty growl, and although this show looked scary, all four males knew this was strictly play, "Nip at me one more time, boy, try it."
"C'monnn, you're ALWAYS talking with Tessa and Zed, can't you just come with us outside palace walls and run in the fields or something?" Royal begged cutely, he shifted on his paws.
"We can play hide and seek!" Chester gasped, all three males having the ability to camouflage, due to Orion's chameleon nature, Orion stood to correction, largely rolled his eyes and cutely gestured to Boss.
"Why don't we chase Balba, again?" Boss suggested, he could tell Orion was now desperate to peel away and follow through with his little meeting with the King and Queen, "Orion won't be gone forever."
"Listen to the blue one, he's got a good head on his shoulders," Orion's deep voice pressed as he finally turned heel, his heavy, bow-legged footsteps began to slowly saunter away, "Follow me and see what happens."
"You're no fun," Royal stabbed with a laugh, and though him and Chester wouldn't be caught treating Orion this way, upon arrival, the week had given them plenty of time to warm up to a quick show of teasing banter, a routine all the males on the lot were fast to fall into.
"That's the idea," Orion volleyed, he finally was able to peel from the group, though as Boss sighed a silent breath of relief to be left with his step son and step grandson, he frowned a little as he could see Royal sag.
"I can one-up the whole hide and seek ordeal," Boss trailed cutely, though Royal's sad eyes peered to Boss's in a gentle flicker of hope.
"Chasing my mom?" Chester wondered, though as Boss got a good look at Royal, he could tell Royal was doing anything and everything to have a true, playful, and fun relationship with his father, a beast that typically wanted nothing to do with fun and games. Knowing this season of life would be a challenge to get through, Boss sagged and realized this likely shouldn't involve his selfish desires to override the situation.
"Taffyta's balcony has candy from Vidrix," Boss mumbled cutely, to which Chester largely perked up, shifted on his bumbling paws and urgently peered in the direction of Taffyta's glistening balcony.
"Say no more!" Chester barked, and with a leap, he took to the air and began to loft in the direction of Taffyta's balcony; Boss heaved a laugh as him and Royal sagged to a more mature aura.
"C'mon, bud, Orion will come around," Boss mumbled gently, and though the selfish part of his heart was thrilled Orion was a rather aloof father, due to not even planning on having a pup, let alone making a mate out of Lickity, he still felt bad that Royal's actual coded father was forcing himself to at least try to act interested in having a bond with his own pup.
"Hopefully," Royal stated in a sag of sadness, though he peered to Boss in calm inquiry. Knowing both boys got off on the wrong paw, due to Lickity bringing Boss home as a second mate, he knew he had likely taken Boss's tender, fatherly nature for granted. Having properly been the pack's elder and paternal figure for the duration of his whole stay, Royal eased a grateful smile and flattened his ears alongside another gentle nuzzle of his bat-like snout into the nook of Boss's fluffy jaw and mane, "Sorry, papa. I hope this isn't weird for you..."
"It is, if I'm being honest," Boss mumbled cutely, and with their show of reserved tenderness, strictly an act of respect in the inner workings of their tight-knit pack, he was thrilled their little familial relationship had blossomed past their need for one-upping dominance as potential rival males. Boss sighed and sagged his much larger, colorful wing about Royal's spine, "I'm just thrilled he doesn't have interest in your mother, any longer... THEN we'd have a problem."
"He doesn't really have interest in anyone," Royal grumbled sadly, he remained sagged and tucked in Boss's true, fatherly care, and with Royal's sorrowful disposition, Boss felt a gentle switch up as he peered over his shoulder and saw Orion's big figure finally vanish into the trees, a section of the palace lot that securely contained Tessa's and Zed's tower.
"He'll come around, bud, don't you worry," Boss stated gently into Royal's big, floppy ear that remained sagged against Royal's big, bumbling skull. Boss narrowed his gaze a little and now began to feel protective of Royal's fragile feelings, and it was here did he begin to wonder if he should entertain the idea of having a private conversation with the legend himself, the big, grumpy bag of scales everyone was so desperate to revive.
With a huge deep breath, a great amount of hesitancy and a press into her own home, Vanellope stepped inside her abode with a new aura of patience she was excited to try on. Although Ralph's and Vanellope's tower, on palace grounds, was a bit more of a smaller, humble abode, it still was fit for a King and Queen, as Ralph and Vanellope being Sugar Rush's predecessors. Vanellope furrowed her eyebrows and did absolutely everything she could to encounter each mess, each item out of place, with a gentle and non-controlling heart. Upon moving into this abode a year or two ago, after Sugar Rush was won and the crown was handed to their first born, Tessa, the couple had fallen into a rhythm of cleanliness, a mojo they knew well. As time had gone on, said mojo had deteriorated, and no matter how Vanellope asked or pleaded, Ralph's laziness had finally reached an all-time high. Knowing this was due to his funk, she did whatever she could to not take it personally. With another refreshed breath of forced patience, she stepped into her's and Ralph's lovely, warm foyer.
Upon the clack of their massive front door, Vanellope's eyes trailed to their warmly lit mudroom, just to her right. In hot irritation, she assessed it. Not an hour ago, when she left the house, the mudroom was tidied by none-other than herself. Feeling rage bubble to a boil, she immediately took note that the mudroom now was aptly named; Ralph's huge footsteps had trailed in mud, the coat rack was leaned against the wall haphazardly, and though she knew Ralph was a large, bumbling creature by nature, their home was built with Ralph's big figure in mind, a spacious, airy place to freely move about. Vanellope inhaled a tight, long breath through her nose and tried so hard to keep her cool, though she winced in further irritation as she could hear Ralph lazily clear his throat and readjust his sitting position in his beloved recliner, just across the house. The television blared one of his favorite channels, and though Vanellope promised herself she'd keep her cool, she bit her lip in rising rage and wondered just where her limit was. She could sense it was upon her, and though she utilized full self-control, she stepped a little deeper into their sunny home and hoped for the best.
